Rayo Vallecano schedule: La Liga fixtures 2014/2015

U.S. players tackle cup competitions; Americans Abroad

Jermaine Jones (left) and Schalke are one of three German clubs alive in the Champions League.

It's that time of year. The hunt for major cup silverware on multiple fronts is heating up.

For Americans, it doesn't get any more high profile than Jermaine Jones and Schalke's quest to reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Jones will get a first-hand account of new-look Galatasaray, when Schalke takes on recent Galatasaray signings and past Champions League heroes Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder in the first leg of their round of 16 clash on Wednesday. Oguchi Onyewu's Malaga is still alive as well, and the Spanish side faced Porto in its first leg Tuesday (without Onyewu, who hasn't played since Jan. 8, in the starting lineup).

A step down, in the Europa League, Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel and Tottenham have one foot in the next round after topping Lyon 2-1 in the first leg of their round of 32 matchup. With the 41-year-old Friedel limited to cup competitions after losing the regular starting goalkeeping job to Hugo Lloris, the Europa League is his best chance to leave a lasting impact on Tottenham's season. He can do just that by preserving the one-goal edge on the road in Thursday's second leg.

In other continental competition, the Tijuana Trio of Edgar Castillo, Joe Corona and Greg Garza kick off their Copa Libertadores voyage Tuesday night at Colombian champion Millonarios (the new club of on-loan Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero). Castillo saw red for the first time in his career in conceding a penalty this past weekend for Tijuana, but the left back will have a chance for redemption on the Libertadores stage that few Americans have played before him.

Domestically, U.S. No. 1 goalkeeper Tim Howard is still alive in the FA Cup. He seeks his second title and first since winning one nine years ago with Manchester United. Howard and Everton may have fallen victim to a last-gasp equalizer in its fifth-round bout with upstart Oldham Athletic on Saturday, but the Toffees will host the replay next Wednesday, the prize a quarterfinal date with relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic. Everton is vying for a place in European competition during its league campaign, but capturing the FA Cup would at the very least cement the club's place in next season's Europa League and provide a safety net for the rest of this season.

As for the American goal-scorers this past week, AZ Alkmaar's Jozy Altidore set a new career high with his 21st goal in all competitions, and 23-year-old German-American striker Andrew Wooten netted his fourth of the year for second-tier German side Sandhausen. A pair of Americans contributed assists. Timmy Chandler came through with a clutch cross during stoppage time that led to an equalizer for Nurnberg against Hannover. Sacha Kljestan maintained his high level of play with a helper in Anderlecht's latest Belgian league triumph. Those four individual performances highlighted the week that was for Americans playing abroad. Here is how they and the rest of their compatriots fared (season statistics encompass all competitions):

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England

Premier League

Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City -- Stoke City did not have a match this past week.
SEASON: 27 games, 25 starts

Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton -- Southampton did not have a match this past week.
SEASON: 0 games

Brek Shea, M, Stoke City -- Stoke City did not have a match this past week. Shea did score in a club friendly against Burnley on Tuesday, though.
SEASON: 0 games

League Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- Not in the 18 for Derby County's 2-1 loss to Hull City on Tuesday. Doyle was in the 18, did not play in Derby County's 0-0 draw with Wolverhampton on Saturday.
SEASON: 3 games, 1 start

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Not in the 18 for Bolton's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
SEASON: 2 games

Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United -- In the 18, did not play in Scunthorpe's 3-1 win over Carlisle United on Tuesday. Grella was in the 18 and came on as a 47th-minute substitute in a 3-0 loss to Yeovil Town on Saturday.
SEASON: 22 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Carlisle's 3-1 loss to Scunthorpe United on Tuesday. Simek also started and played 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth on Saturday.
SEASON: 32 games, 30 starts

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Germany

Bundesliga

Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on the game-tying goal in second-half stoppage time of Nurnberg's 2-2 draw with Hannover 96 on Sunday. Chandler sent in a cross from the right that Sebastian Polter latched onto at the near post and redirected into the net for the equalizer.
SEASON: 23 games, 23 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Not in the 18 for Hannover's 3-1 loss to Anzhi Makhachkala in the first leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie on Thursday or a 2-2 draw with FC Nurnberg in league play Sunday.
SEASON: 28 games, 27 starts

Andrew Wooten, F, SV Sandhausen -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal in Sandhausen's 3-1 loss to Dynamo Dresden on Sunday. Wooten was the recipient of a pass in the area after a Dynamo Dresden turnover, and he finished with a confident right-footed strike while a defender closed down in the 57th minute to pull Sandhausen level at 1-1 at the time.
SEASON: 17 games, 10 starts, 4 goals

Italy

Serie A

Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma -- In the 18, came on in the 68th minute on Roma's 1-0 win over Juventus on Saturday. It marked the first time since late October that Bradley was not in the starting lineup.
SEASON: 22 games, 20 starts, 1 goal

Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored in the 34th minute of AZ's 2-2 draw with Roda JC on Saturday. Altidore bodied up a defender to receive a pass just outside the top of the area with his left foot, took two touches and struck a clinical 19-yard blast low and inside the left post to make the score 1-1 at the time.
SEASON: 30 games, 30 starts, 21 goals

Terrence Boyd, F, Rapid Vienna -- In the 18, came on as a 65th-minute substitute in Rapid Vienna's 2-1 loss to rival Austria Vienna on Sunday. The game was the first for Rapid Vienna after a two-month winter break.
SEASON: 29 games, 23 starts, 13 goals

Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia -- In the 18, came on as an 81st-minute substitute in Estoril's 2-1 loss to Maritimo on Sunday.
SEASON: 12 games, 4 starts

Mexico

Liga MX

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Puebla's 3-1 win over Merida in the Copa MX on Wednesday. Beasley started and played 67 minutes in Puebla's 1-1 draw with Chivas de Guadalajara in league play Sunday.
SEASON: 9 games, 6 starts, 2 goals

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Not in the 18 for Tigres' 1-1 draw with Santos Laguna on Saturday.
SEASON: 0 games

Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana -- Started and was sent off in the 48th minute of Tijuana's 2-0 loss to Jaguares on Friday. Castillo was ejected after a foul in the penalty area, which conceded a spot kick that Jaguares converted to open the scoring.
SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts

Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, Puebla -- Not in the 18 for Puebla's 3-1 win over Merida in the Copa MX. Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes in Puebla's 1-1 draw with Chivas de Guadalajara in league play.
SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts

Greg Garza, D/M, Tijuana -- Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 2-0 loss to Jaguares.
SEASON: 0 games